Knoxville Marathon 2013

Posted on April 12, 2013 Written by 2 Comments
Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

It’s hard to know at the end of this week whether I should continue recounting last weekend or move the focus to the upcoming weekend. I’ll go with last weekend, but I must mention that this weekend is likely the biggest of the Dogwood Arts Festival, with the Arts and Crafts Festival on Market Square and throughout Krutch Park. The artisan works are phenomenal and the food tent, in which chefs prepare dishes with wine pairings, is one of my favorite single events of the year.

Mayor Rogero, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Mayor Rogero, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

American Flag on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

American Flag on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Still, I must give a nod to last weekend’s Knoxville Marathon which drew several thousand people. The race has grown to include a 5K, Half-Marathon, Marathon and Marathon Relay. Urban Son-in-Law backed off to the half-marathon this year and many Urban Friends ran various other races. I think one reason for the massive crowds last weekend was the marathon, as a number of people came in from out of town or simply stayed downtown to enjoy the other events going on.

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Health and Fitness Expo, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists2, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists3, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Arm Cyclists, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

I love the fact that a fitness-based event has become so big in the city. It also works beautifully to have so many great activities downtown to greet any out-of-town visitors. There is no way someone visited the city last weekend, encountered the beautiful weather, pianos on the square, Chalk Walk, First Friday, Rhythm and Blooms and came away with anything other than a very positive impression of what is happening here. They also spent time and money in the Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday.

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Runner, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Runner, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

Knoxville Marathon Start, April 2013

The starting line and staging area always attract me. Nerves jangle about at every turn, runners giddy with excitement warm up maybe a bit too much. Proud families wish their loved ones well. The mayor spoke at this year’s opening and the national anthem makes any sporting fan’s blood reach a quick boil of anticipation. Some are there to win, others to have fun and others simply to finish. Music pounds from a PA system as it will throughout the race as live bands play for the runners.

Entertainment on Market Square, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Entertainment on Market Square, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

John D. Cable and the Empty Bottle Band, Clinch and Locust, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

John D. Cable and the Empty Bottle Band, Clinch and Locust, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

I photographed eventual winner Wojciech Kopec (2:22:15) as he left the start line (red jersey above, number 2), but missed him at the twenty-five mile mark. I did catch Edward Tabut passing the UT Conference Center, heading into the final stretch. He was about three minutes behind first place. He also nearly left the course by not turning onto Locust, but a policeman yelled, pointed and Edward corrected his course.

Second Place Runner (No. 4), Mile Tweny-five, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Second Place Runner (No. 4), Edward Tabut, Mile Tweny-five, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Third Place Runner, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Third Place Runner, Bryan Morseman, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Fourth Place Runner, Mile Twenty-Three, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Fourth Place Runner, Stewart Ellington, Mile Twenty-Three, Knoxville Marathon 2013

Fifth Place Runner, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Fifth Place Runner, Abraham Kogo, Mile Twenty-four, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

About four minutes behind him was Bryan Moresman in third and I really felt for the next two guys as I photographed them leaving Market Square. They ran within steps of each other around the twenty-four mile mark and clearly, they would battle to the finish line. In the end, while Stewart Ellington (No. 6) lead by a few yards at that point, Abraham Kogo (No. 3) would pass him in the end to win fourth place. Two seconds separated them at the finish line. You can find complete results here.

Half-Marathon Medal, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Half-Marathon Medal, Knoxville Marathon, April 2013

Others would pass through downtown on into the afternoon. In fact, Urban Son-in-Law spotted a couple going through around 4:00, well after the official times have stopped. It reminds me of Cake’s awesome song, “The Distance.” All that matters at that point is finishing. And whether anyone else knows or acknowledges the fact, you know. It has to feel good. I never made it to the complete marathon and I admire those who do.

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First Friday: The Vehicles

Posted on March 9, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment



Nissan Leaf at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show (LHD).Image via Wikipedia
Nissan Leaf

Well, First Friday was a gorgeous, cool night. After visiting the Sunsphere we headed toward Market Square, then the Old City and the 100 Block. As usual, there were vehicles that caught my attention. Of course, I was a week behind if I really wanted to see some cool vehicular action: The Nissan Leaf was available for test drives at the World’s Fair Park. I missed it. At 25K for an all-electric vehicle with a range of 75 – 100 miles, it may be the game changer in the automotive industry.

Mecedes Sedan on Market Square, March 2011

But I digress, sort of. On First Friday there were other new vehicles displayed on Market Square. The two at the northern end of the square, parked in the Bill Lyons Pavilion were Mercedes. So, I ask you, you can have a red Mercedes wagon or you can have a classic black sedan, what do you do? Is there a choice? If I’m going to buy a wagon, I’m not paying that much money for ugly. I’ll never be able to afford the sedan, and maybe I wouldn’t buy it if I could, but it is beautiful. And black is the only color.

Mecedes Wagon on Market Square, Knoxville, March 2011

At the other end of the square, coming in at about fifteen pounds was a perfectly intact Smart Car. I featured one the other day on this blog that had gotten the short end of a run in with something. I asked the question then if it was really that smart. I was being a bit facetious, but a anonymous – my most comment-prone reader and a very sharp individual – said, “Smart Cars require PREMIUM gas, and after paying that penalty, you’re only rewarded with 33 mpg in the city???? This car is a joke.”

“Do I carry it in my pocket or ride in it?”

After looking at the numbers, I have to agree. It does get pretty good gas mileage, but I can get that in a Camry and have a lot more room for friends family and stuff. Even better, my Prius gets in the upper 40′s without breaking a sweat, and I have been known to get in the mid 50′s. If I got 33 I would die. I suppose you can get into small spaces with a Smart Car, but I’ve never been unhappy with the spaces I could get into with the Prius.

Then, the Leaf costs about the same as the Smart Car and (really) gets infinite miles per gallon if you don’t count the electricity for charging, so I’m thinking the Smart Car is really back to not being that Smart. You have to give to ole Anonymous, he knows a thing or two about a thing or two.

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Filed Under: Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blog, First Friday, Knoxville Blog, Market Square, Mercedes, Nissan Leaf, Smart Car, Vehicles

Not-so-Smart Smart Car

Posted on March 3, 2011 Written by 6 Comments

Please forgive me my vehicle fetish. I never realized I had one until I started this blog. Since I almost always have a camera on hand when I’m walking about downtown I take pictures of what catches my attention and I’ve been surprised at how often that object of my attention turns out to be a vehicle. In this case, it was a Smart Car.

Smart Car, Fort Sanders, Knoxville

What makes a Smart Car so smart? Is it because it can slip into little places no other car and driver would attempt? Is it because it looks smart? Because its owner is probably smarter than me or you? Because it gets insane gas mileage?

I’m not sure, but for some reason I thought of these cars as somehow above the laws of physics that govern us mere mortals and our very physics-bound cars. I hadn’t realized I felt this way until I encountered this particular Smart Car in Fort Sanders. For some reason it completely startled me to see one in this condition. It didn’t really seem so smart after all.

Smart Car, Fort Sanders, Knoxville, February 2011

On the other hand, I doubt it was pushed into the parking space where I found it, so, if in fact it is still running when it looks like the front end has been smashed in far enough to break the driver’s ankles, maybe it really is pretty smart.

Filed Under: Downtown Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville Blog, Fort Sanders, Smart Car